Classic Tales of Ghosts and Vampires

Sixteen thrilling and chilling stories by some of the greatest writers of horror and the supernatural, including Bram Stoker, H.P. Lovecraft, Charles Dickens, Ambrose Bierce, R.L.Stevenson, Guy de Maupassant and John Polidori, who is held to be the creator of the first vampire tale. An audio treat for Halloween or any other night when the moon is high, these stories are rich in imagination, humor, and characterization.

Necronomicon

Originally written for the pulp magazines of the 1920s and '30s, H. P. Lovecraft's astonishing tales blend elements of horror, science fiction, and cosmic terror that are as powerful today as they were when first published. This tome brings together all of Lovecraft's harrowing stories, including the complete Cthulhu Mythos cycle, just the way they were when first released.

The Haunting of Hill House

Four seekers have come to the ugly, abandoned old mansion: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of the psychic phenomenon called haunting; Theodora, his lovely and lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a lonely, homeless girl well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the adventurous future heir of Hill House.

Ghost Stories, Volume One

Sir Derek Jacobi reads a collection of tales from the master of ghost stories, M. R. James, whose stories have for many years inspired the BBC's A Ghost Story for Christmas TV adaptations. M. R. James was described as "a man who, in company with Sheridan le Fanu, is the best ghost-story writer England has ever produced".

The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome

This is the first volume in a bold new series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history. This narrative history employs the methods of "history from beneath" - literature, epic traditions, private letters, and accounts - to connect kings and leaders with the lives of those they ruled.

Poirot's Finest Cases: Eight Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations

John Moffatt stars as the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. The ABC Murders: A chilling letter sets the sleuth on the trail of an enigmatic killer. After the Funeral: A wealthy businessman is dead, and his sister thinks it was murder. Death on the Nile: Poirot is in Egypt when a chilling murder takes place. Peril at End House: Whilst on holiday, the sleuth encounters a young woman, a hat and a bullet. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd: Mrs Farrars is found dead, one year after the death of her husband.

H.P. Lovecraft, The Complete Omnibus, Volume II: 1927-1935

This is volume two of a two-volume omnibus set comprising the complete fictional works of Howard Phillips Lovcecraft. Every story written for publication under his own name is included in this set, from 1927 through 1935. (Poems, ghostwritten material, and stories written in collaboration with other writers are not included.)

A Christmas Carol: A Signature Performance by Tim Curry

A Signature Performance: Tim Curry rescues Charles Dickens from the jaws of Disney with his one-of-a-kind performance of the treasured classic. Our listeners loved this version so much that it inspired our whole line of Signature Classics.

Hell House

For over 20 years, Belasco House has stood empty. Regarded as the Mt. Everest of haunted houses, its shadowed walls have witnessed scenes of unimaginable horror and depravity. All previous attempts to probe its mysteries have ended in murder, suicide, or insanity.

But now, a new investigation has been launched, bringing four strangers to Belasco House in search of the ultimate secrets of life and death. A wealthy publisher, brooding over his impending death, has paid a physicist and two mediums to establish the facts of life after death once and for all. For one night, they will investigate the Belasco House and learn exactly why the townsfolk refer to it as the Hell House.

Ghost Stories, Volume 2

A second collection of tales from the master of ghost stories, M. R. James, whose stories have for many years inspired the BBC's A Ghost Story for Christmas TV adaptations. This volume includes 'A Warning to the Curious', 'The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral', 'The Mezzotint', and 'A Neighbour's Landmark'.

The Bazaar of Bad Dreams: Stories

A master storyteller at his best - the O. Henry Prize winner Stephen King delivers a generous collection of stories, several of them brand-new, featuring revelatory autobiographical comments on when, why, and how he came to write (or rewrite) each story. Magnificent, eerie, utterly compelling, these stories comprise one of King's finest gifts to his constant fan. "I made them especially for you," says King. "Feel free to examine them, but please be careful. The best of them have teeth."

Publisher's Summary

A new volume of exciting stories from 19th- and 20th-century American and British masters and mistresses of the art of story-telling, read by award-winning narrators, including Sean Barrett, William Dufris, Stephen Greif, Jeff Harding, Nigel Lambert, Hayward Morse, Garrick Hagon, Stephen Thorne, David Thorpe, Anne Rosenfeld, and Liza Ross.

The fact Cathy Dobson is gleefully inattendant more than offsets the unfortunate selection of all-too-common stories. The readers deliver well the stories, but I find that, out of some two dozen, only half a dozen are not completely stories I've heard many, many times, many of which I never liked. Still, a fair offering.

I have had Volume 1 of this collection for some time and enjoy listening to it each Halloween. I was very much looking forward to adding this book to my October listening tradition, however, I'm not sure that I will keep it in my Halloween book rotation. I have to admit that I am a little disappointed in the production value of Volume 2. In Volume 1 each story was separated by an appropriately spooky and brief musical interlude which allowed an opportunity to reflect on the previous story and prepare for the mystery and suspense of the upcoming piece. Unfortunately, the stories in Volume 2 jump awkwardly from one into the other without even a momentary pause. This is very disconcerting and detracts from the listening enjoyment. If you're trying to decide between the two volumes, spend your money or credits on Volume 1.